Apron conveyer.



No. 848,236. PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907. H. G. GINAGA.

APRON GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wz'zeases- .fiwenfor No. 848,236. PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

H. G. GINAOA.

APRON GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED we. a1, 1905.

' dug-Z4240 PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

H. G. GINAGA.

APRON GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. a1, 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

llill PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

H. G. GINAGA.

APRON GONVEYER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 31, 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

H. G. GINAGA. APRON OONVEYER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1905.

MW Q 1 6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907. H. G. GINAGA. APRON GONVEYER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 31, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEFIoE.

HENRY GABRIEL GINAOA, OF HONOLULU, TERRI RY OF HAWAII.

AeRoN CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 26, 1907.

Application filed August 31,1905. Serial No. 276,638.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY GABRIEL GIN of conveyors such as are used between su ar-' cane mills to convey and elevate the crus ed cane from one mill and feed it to the next mill, and has for its object to produce an apron of this character which shall be more efficient than those heretofore employed.

The a ron for a conveyerbetween sugarcane mills usually consists of flat or slightlycurved metal slats havin a link riveted or s being connected to form two endless belts with the slats overlapping one another. When the slats are attached between the belts, the links are exposed, allowifigthe crushed cane or bagasse to fall through said links. When the slats cover the links of the belts to which they are attached, it has heretofore been necessary to cut out or notch the curved side of the slat over the belts, particularly so in order to permit the belts to bend in passing over the idlers used to keep the slack returnapron off from the mill-roller. Such slats usually break at one of these notches. The notching ofthe slat weakens it as a beam to take the thrust in feeding to the mill. The slats being made of sheet metal and being supported only at their ends by the link belts are structurally weak. Therefore lately in an attempt to strengthen the apron a plurality of parallel linkbelts spaced at intervals along the slats has been tried; but this has increased the number of notches in each slat, and thereby added to the chances of breaking. These notches permit crushed cane or bagasse to fall through the apron and fill the pockets of the links and then become wedged in said pockets by the action of the sprocket-teeth. When one sprocket is driving properly and the apron is slipping over the teeth of another s rocket on the same shaft on account of the being wedged with bagasse, an uneven strain on the slat results, causing an interrupted feed to the mill, the loosening of the rivets or bolts connectin the slat to the belts, and the bending of the s ats which often results in the breaking of a slat at a notch. With'slats rigidly connected to the links of the belts an opening is necessary between adjacent slats 1n order that they may not bind when passing over the idlers which support the return portion of the conveyer. These 0 enings allow small pieces of bagasse to fall t ough and larger pieces to become wedged betweenthe slats. When a heavy maceration is 'used, these 0 enings between the slats permit "a portion 0? the macerating fluid to escape through same.

All these objections are overcome by this invention, which consists in the novel contion, in which similar letters of reference indicate'similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents in inverted lan a ortion of an apron embodying one orm o my invention. Fig. 2 represents the same in side elevation. Figs. 3 and 4 represent similar elevations of the same in extreme curved positions, as in assing over sprockets and idlers, respective y. Fig. 5 represents in longitudinal elevation and part section portions of one of the slat units comprising the apron. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of two slat units on the line A B of Fig. 5: Fl 7 represents in longitudinal elevation an part section portions of a slat unit com risin the apron when a plurality of paral el be ts are employed. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of two such slat units on the line C D of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 represents in longitudinal elevation and part section portions of'a slat unit with its trunnions connecting the links together in lieu of the usual pins. Fi 10 represents in side elevation a portion 0 such apron, and

Fig. 11 a sectional elevation of the same on the line E F of Fig. 9. Figs. 12 to 18, inclusive, are details of various forms of trunnions.

Referring to the drawin s, each slat A extends substantially the and fits snugly over and is attached to a bar a, which in turn is trunnioned at b in the links B of the endless belts. The balance of the slat A is fiat or slightly curved, and its side a overlaps and rests upon the curved fulcrumed side a of its adjoining slat without ariy opening between same, such as occurs with slats rigidly attached directly to the link belts. This is not only so when the ll width of the apron and is bent or curved along one side a g. 4.. The curved portion a of the slat A is preferably an arc whose center coincides with that of the fulcrum of the slat in order that the overlapping side a of the adjacent slat may be tangent thereto. The shape of the slat A and the addition of the bar both tend to stiffen the apron. When a solid round bar a is used, its ends are turned down to trunnion in the links B, as detailed in Fig. 12. For the sake of lightness a tube or pipe 0' can be substituted for the solid bar a, in

which case ends may be welded on the tube a and turned down, as shown in Fig. 13, or pins e may be riveted in the ends of the tube a, as shown in Figs. 5,14, and 15, to trunnion in the links B.

' Hooks or fingers (1 may be attached at intervals along the under side of the slats A, with their prongs d projecting underneath the bar 0' of the adjacent slat unit to insure of the overlapping side of each slat always resting upon the curved fulcrumed portion of its nelgh oring slat. If the hooks d are omitted, the amount of opening between the slats on the return portion of the apron is limited by the heel of the slat striking the links of the endless belts. In this case the apron becomes self-cleaningshould any material be-' come lodged on top of the return portion of the apron, as the slats swing apart only on the return portion of the apron.. The weight of the crushed cane or bagasse on the apron keeps the slats in contact with one another.

When more than two endless belts are em-' ployed, as in wide aprons, the tube 0 is made of suitable lengths to fit between the links B of the several belts, and a pintle f is used to trunnion these tubes 0 to said links, as shown in Fig. 7. Bushings 9 may be fastened in the ends of each tube a, through which the intle f is passed, as detailed in Fig. 16. T e bushings g are preferably beveled at one end 9 in order that the pintle f may be easily introduced in assembling. It will be noted thatthe pintle f may be withdrawn, and the slat thereby removed, without disconnecting any of the endless belts, whose links are connected by the usual pins 76. A cheaper, but not as strong, a construction consists in attaching sleeves h in lieu of the tube 0 to the slat A, with a pintle f through said sleeves h, as shown in F1g. 17, or by riveting trunnions j to the slat A, as shown in Fi 18. w

o far I have shown and described the slats A as trunnioned at b in the links B above the center line of the belts, with the usual pins'k connectin the links B together. If desired, however, t e trunnions e for the slats A can replace the connecting-pins 7c, as

shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11; but in this case the removal of a slat disconnects the endless,

belts. It will now be noted that the slats A can byany of the above methods be trunnioned in the links. B instead of, as heretofore, being rigidly attached directly to the links of the endless belts. The slats are substantially the full width of the apron and have no notches cut out of same, and as there are no openings between the slats the bagasse cannot get through and fill the pockets in the links nor become wedged between the slats. Each slat unit forms a rigid beam, which prevents bending of the slat and takes the thrust in feeding to the mill. The shape of the slats gives the surface of the apron a transversely-corrugated appearance. These corrugations aid in elevating the" crushed cane u to and also in feeding it to themill and ai in the maceration of the crushed cane while on the apron, as the maceration water or juice which percolates through the crushed cane does not run off, but is retained upon the apron and is absorbed by the crushed cane." The apron is referably run in the direction as indicated y the arrows, for if the slats overlap in a manner similar to the shingles on a roof the macerating liquid (which is a plied while the apron is elevating the crushed cane) is prevented from passing through the apronl Also in feeding the crushed cane to the mill where the greatest pressure is exerted on the apron the overapping sides a of the slats A are pressed tightl against the fulcrumed sides a of adjacent s ats and are supported thereby.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an apron conve er, the combination of a plurality of link be ts, and slats extending clear across the conveyer above the belts,

each slat being pivoted along one edge only and having the other edge overhanging the edge of the adjacent slat.

2. In an apron conveyer, the combination of a plurality of link belts, and slats extending clear across the conveyer above the belts, each slat pivoted along one edge to the links, and having its other edge overhanging the pivoted edge only of the adjacent slat.

3. In an apronconveyer, the combination of a plurality of link belts, slats extendin clear across the conveyer, each slat pivote at one edge to the links and having its other edge overhanging the edge of the adjacent slat, and a horn or finger on the under side of each slat, projecting beyond the pivoted edge of the adjacent sla l 4. In an apron conveyer, the combination of a plurality of link belts, and overlapping slats extending clear across the conveyer above the belts, said 'slats being pivoted along one edge only, and having their pivoted edges curved substantially concentric with their pivots, the remaining portion of the slats being curved on single long arcs of greater radius, whereby a groove'is formed at the junction of the curved portion that extends across the conveyer.

In an apron conveyer, the combination of a plurality of'link belts, and overlapping slats extending clear across the conveyer above the belts, each slat being pivoted along one edge and provided With a horn or finger projecting past the pivot of the adj acent slat to limit the upward movement of its free end.

6. In an apron conveyer, the combination of a plurality of link belts, and overlapping slats extending clear across the conveyer, each slat being pivoted at one edge to a link coincident with the pintle at one end of said link, and having a horn or finger projecting under the pintle at the other end of the link to limit the upward movement of the free edge of the slat. a,

7. In an apron conveyor, the combination of a plurality of link belts, and overlapping slats extending clear across the conveyer above the belts, said slats being secured to tubes or ipes extending between the belts, and pint es passing through the tubes and secured in the links of the belts, the pipes or tubes being trunnioned on the pintles.

8. In an apron conveyer, the combination of a plurality of link belts, and overlapping slats extending clear across the conveyer above the belts, said slats being trunnioned to turn about an axis or pintle secured to the links of the belt above and parallel to the pintles of said links.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. I

HENRY GABRIEL GINACA.

Witnesses:

RoBT. J. PRATT, ARTHUR F. EWART. 

